The Manchester Monarchs took their second game in Utah on Friday night, beating the Utah Grizzlies , 8-3.
Manchester’s first goal came after a flurry of shots in the first minute, with Zac Lynch finding the back of the net 43 seconds into the contest.
While the Grizzlies grabbed the momentum after that goal, Matt Leitner poked home the Monarchs’ second goal of the contest on their first shot since Lynch’s tally.
Manchester would only record one shot on net for the next five minutes of the contest, but the Grizzlies couldn’t get on the board until shortly after a fight between Manchester’s Martin Nemcik and Utah’s Zach Saar.
That goal came from Cliff Watson, with Watson adding a power play goal later in the period.
Manchester would add a power play goal of their own halfway through the second period, with Colton Saucerman connecting on a slapshot from the blue line.
The Monarchs held that lead for only 28 seconds, as Ryan Mislak immediately answered with his third goal of the year.
But that would be all for the Grizzlies, as the Monarchs notched five unanswered goals in the third period, getting another goal from Lynch and a pair of power play goals from Kevin Morris and Joel Lowry as well as goals from Michael Doherty and Matt Schmaltz.
The season is still young, but the Monarchs are off to a good start, regaining a share of the ECHL North Division lead with the Wheeling Nailers after Wheeling lost 3-1 in Cincinnati earlier in the evening.
Manchester (10-7-0-1) and Utah (6-7-0-4) will meet again one more time at the Maverik Center on Saturday night. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:05 Mountain Standard Time.
